bibliosahttps://bibliosa.wordpress.com
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."Fri, 10 Mar 2017 00:24:08 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngbibliosahttps://bibliosa.wordpress.com
Best of Octoberhttps://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/best-of-october/
https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/best-of-october/#commentsTue, 15 Nov 2016 21:37:36 +0000http://bibliosa.wordpress.com/?p=1710]]>Hello everyone, I hope you’re all doing well. The last few weeks have strained my nerves and sanity in ways I have never experienced. Both the combination of a hectic workload from school, and the election madness, took its toll on me, and I just couldn’t focus on anything. Sadly, books went unread, post meant to be written stayed unwritten, and I retreated into my cave with only my dearest old favorites. I don’t mean to get political, but I feel any post, or anything I could write had to acknowledge the events of this election cycle. Anything else would seem frivolous. I am in a better place than a few days ago, and getting past the overwhelming grief not only my country is going through, but one shared by many in the world. All I can do is my part in bringing good energy, tolerance and love to those around me. We’ll be Ok.

On a positive note, I did manage to read and enjoy a few books in the beginning and middle half of the month. So, here is my very late Best of October wrap-Up

The Boy by Wytske Versteeg. Translated from the Dutch by SarahWelling (Hope Road Publishing)

If you enjoy reading women in translation, here is a perfect one for you. The Boy follows the story of Kito, a young troubled boy. He is a dark-skinned, chubby, and awkward boy who is bullied relentlessly at school. He says nothing, however, to his adoptive parents, and although the parents know something isn’t quite right, they don’t pry too closely into Kito’s mental health and well being It isn’t until Kito is found dead that they begin to reflect on their son’s life. Distraught and full of grief, his mother is on a quest for answers and revenge, and she just might find them in Hannah, Kito’s old drama teacher who she suspects had a hand in Kito’s death. Hannah has decided to rebuild her life in Bulgaria, and Kito’s mother follows her there. The story unfolds against the stark cold Bulgarian landscape, which lends itself well to the dark tones surrounding the womens’ stories. Forced into each other’s company, the women finds that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the other. Kito’s mother’s also realizes her own role in Kito’s suffering. The Boy is a dark read about death, mental illness, and societal pressures. It’s heartbreaking in it’s honest depiction of depression and the numbness that accompanies it. If you have ever suffered loss and grief, this one will resonate with you.

This comes out next week on November 24, so be sure to mark your calendars! In the meantime check out the first chapter!

Just.Wow. Was this ever the Fantasy/Sci-Fi book I needed to scratch my itch. Jemison rightly deserves her awards and accolades. To date, I have read all but the follow up sequels to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I’ve loved all her books, so I wasn’t surprised to find myself enjoying this one. However, as good as the other ones were, this one is on an entirely different playing field. It’s always interesting to watch an author’s progress in her work, and N.K. Jemison keeps killing it. The story is difficult to explain, and I am not going to try to. I went in almost completely blind, and I can honestly say the story is so much richer because it of it. I will say the characters are complex and richly developed, the world intoxicating, and the writing is captivating. What more do you want?

What more can I say about Sofia Samatar that I haven’t already said? Just read her books already if you haven’t. Her writing is so beautiful that it actually literally made me cry. The Winged Histories follows four women: a solider, a scholar, a poet, and a socialite’s life during war time. Not all women are on the same side, yet in some way each is linked to the other. In this brutal time time of war and death, each women confronts their past, present, and future, and their place in society. What it all means, and how do you love, and rebuild after war and destruction? I have completely fallen in love with Sofia Samatar’s work, and I cannot wait to read more from her in the future. I’ll also note that this is a companion novel to A Stranger in Olandria, so while you don’t need to read it to read this one, I still highly recommend it because it too is lovely.

I listened to this on audio in the last four hours of work one day, and I could not stop listening. I’d only previously read Jackson’s short stories, and it being Halloween season and all, I decided to give it go. I was not disappointed. It’s creepy and gothic and everything you expect and want from this genre. The story follows Mary Catherine (Merricat) Blackwoodand and her sister Constance and their life living in small town that hates them for a crime they believe Constance committed. The sister’s live with their aging uncle in a nearly reclusive state. Aside from grocery trips into the village, Merricat and her family don’t meet or mingle with anyone. That is until a cousin comes to visit, and threatens the foundation by which the Blackwood sisters live, and Merricat just can’t let that happen.She’ll do anything to stop that from happening…Super creepy. I just loved this one!

That was my reading month. I hope everyone has been well, and if you’re knee deep in school work like me, I wish you the best in your final papers and projects. Just a few weeks to go!

Note to self: Do not start challenges in the beginning of your semester. The tragic thing is I will. Over and over again. When it comes to books, my enthusiasm surpasses my sense.

However, it was still fun diving into the world of independent presses, a world which was much bigger than I had realized. I still consider the challenge a success because although I didn’t document much of it on here, unfortunately, I still discovered some great reads and presses that I will be paying much more attention to. Thus my foray into researching and reading indie presses is far from over, and now without the pressure of a challenge, I can read freely. The challenge led me to discover Sofia Samatar‘s A Stranger in Olandria (Small Beer Press). Her writing is drool worthy. It makes up for any flaw her books may have. I also loved Walker on Water by Kristiina Ehin (Unnamed Press) translated from the Estonian by Ilmar Lehtpere. This was a quirky and fantastical weird book. Amelie Nothomb’sTokyo Fiancée translated by Alison Anderson was another favorite, and one of the best from the month. Her books are published by Europa Editions, and is one of the coolest indies out there in my opinion.

I wish I could have read more indie’s, but you know, papers don’t write themselves.

Other favorites from the month that were not indies, but are worth the read are Before we Were Free by Julia Alvarez.

I picked this one up in celebration of Latin Heritage month, and it also completes my Middle Grade read for the Read Harder Challenge. It tells the story of a Anita, a Dominican girl growing up in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s under the dictatorship Rafael Trujillo aka El Jefe. It’s always interesting to read historical fiction told through a child’s prospect. The novel follows her confusion, her curious insight into very serious matters, and her eventual growth and understanding that what she is living through is not the norm. It’s tragic, yet oddly uplifting . If you’re looking to dip into some historical Latin American novels, this is a good start.

Still on the indie kick, and I am currently a few pages in The Boy by Wystske Versteegtranslated from the Dutch by Sarah Welling. (Hope Road Publishing). This was kindly sent to be by the publisher, and this is the first I’ve heard of this author. I’m eager to jump into this story which promises to be a tale of love, loss and revenge of sorts. Will report back once I’ve finished!

(Dutch Cover)

Also, I’m still on a fantasy kick at the moment, so I am reading the much loved Hugo winning novel, The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison, and really loving it.

How was September like for you? What are you currently reading?

]]>https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/best-of-september-and-small-press-wrap-up/feed/2bibliosawalker-on-watera-strangertokyobefore-we-were-freeboythe-fifth-seasonScience Fiction and Fantasy Small Indie Presses (Small Press September)https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/science-fiction-and-fantasy-small-indie-presses-small-press-september/
https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/science-fiction-and-fantasy-small-indie-presses-small-press-september/#commentsMon, 19 Sep 2016 19:03:35 +0000http://bibliosa.wordpress.com/?p=1690]]>Hey everyone! Hope you are all well. I am alive just very very busy with school work and there is only so much my eyes can take of staring at a screen. Between much needed napping, I have been reading some small press books, however, and I hope to read more before the month is up. I’ve been a little more active on my listy and instagram account if you would like to keep up with my small press shenanigans there both are @bibliosa_

I’ve still been in a Speculative Fiction mood which has lead me to many small indie presses that focus on publishing Science Fiction, Fantasy, and anything that can be labeled “speculative fiction.” I’ve compiled a master post for you all in case you too are in the mood for some nerdy sic-fi, or mystic fantasy, and everything in between!

“Subterranean Press is widely considered to be among the finest specialty publishers in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres, and has published Stephen King, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Harlan Ellison, Joe Hill, and Peter Straub.”

CZP publishes the same kind of weird, subtle, surreal, disturbing dark fiction and fantasy that ChiZine has become known for since 1997, only in longer form—novels, novellas, and short story collections.

“If you are looking for a publisher whose specialty is great book-length science fiction and fantasy literature, produced by people who care about books, readers, booksellers and authors, then you have come to the right place!”

“Golden Gryphon Press was founded in 1997 by Jim Turner, the long-time editor of Arkham House, with the mission to publish handsome, quality books of short story collections by today’s master writers and tomorrow’s rising stars.”

“Damnation Books was born from the hearts of those who love dark fiction and are tired of wading through romance e-publishers and shrinking bookstore shelves to find their horror, dark fantasy, paranormals, thrillers, science fiction, and dark-themed erotica. We’ve heard your cries, “We want our own plane of existence!” Damnation Books was born to serve you lovers of the dark, The Damned Nation, whatever shadows you may occupy.”

“PS Publishing is a limited company based in the United Kingdom. Our aim is to produce high quality, collectable but affordable signed limited editions within the field of science fiction, fantasy and horror.”

Small Beer Press already has my heart after reading Trafalgar by Angelica Gorodischer which has become one of my most beloved short story collections ever. It’s amazing you should really check it out if you’re a fan of science fiction or not. It’s a great collection written by a talented author regardless.

I picked up A Stranger in Olandria by Sofia Samatar because I think I’d seen the author’s name somewhere, and the cover intrigued me. I’m not too far in, and the one noticeable is the writing which is spellbinding as is the world. Our narrator, Jevick has grown up on stories of Olandria, a distant land that his merchant father travels to frequently. He is groomed to be his father’s heir, and after his father’s death he finally gets the chance to visit the strange and bemusing land. Will he like it? What’s in store for him? I don’t know, but I’ll find out!

Also, along the weird and strange, I picked up Walker on Water by Kristiina Ehin which is published by my favorite local small press, Unnamed Press. It’s a very short collection, and it’s lovely in its bizarreness. It makes me think of a cross between Florence and the Machine and the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales. I’m hooked, and I am trying to pace myself, but I’ll most likely have it done by today.

What have you all been reading? Any strange and weird books you know of that I might like?

Thanks for reading

]]>https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/science-fiction-and-fantasy-small-indie-presses-small-press-september/feed/4bibliosaa-strangerwalker-on-water3 Egyptian Novels Published by Small Presses. (Small Press September)https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/3-egyptian-novels-published-by-small-presses-small-press-september/
https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/3-egyptian-novels-published-by-small-presses-small-press-september/#commentsMon, 05 Sep 2016 18:01:34 +0000http://bibliosa.wordpress.com/?p=1667]]>Happy Labor day to my fellow Americans, and happy Monday to everyone else. Small Press September is in full swing, and today I wanted to talk about 3 books by Egyptian authors who are also published by independent presses!

Woman at Point Zero is published by Zed Books. The small but powerful novel recounts the childhood and adulthood of Firdaus, a woman sentenced to death for killing a man. Firdaus tells her story to our narrator from her prison cell. As she relives every awful thing that has been done to her, we get a glimpse of a wronged but seriously independent woman. The novel gives us a glimpse into the life of a poor girl growing up in Egypt who must forcefully make her way in a society that stunts her and mistreats her at every turn. I picked this up on a recommendation from Claire at Word By Word and I am so happy I did. I finished it in one sitting, and it’s been on my mind ever since.

Zed Books is an independent publishers based in the UK that focuses on publishing diverse voices. They publish fiction and nonfiction, and their catalog boast some very interesting titles that I’m excited to explore.

From Zed Books:

Zed publishes across a wide range of topics, with writers from across the planet featuring in its line up. It is best know for publishing the work of marginalised individuals and groups, many of them originating in the Global South, others from oppressed elements of ‘Western’ society.

Woman at Point Zero is my first Zed Book, but it certainly won’t be my last!

The Queue is a science fiction/dystopian tale set in an unknown Middle Eastern city that is ruled by the “Gate.” The Gate is an unknown authoritarian ruler that took power after a failed coup known now as the”Disgraceful Events.” The Gate dictates what its citizens can and can’t do by granting permissions. These permissions allow its citizens to undergo surgery, obtain permits, and the likes. The catch, however, is that it never opens. Instead its citizens queue at its doors for undetermined amounts of time awaiting their turn.They wait in shifts, go to work, and school, and then line up again. The novel is surreal, and very reminiscent of classic dystopian novels like 1984. Its depiction of complete totalitarianism, and its allusion to real events and governments in our society, will give you chills.

Melville House is an indie publisher based in New York. They have been around since 2001, and started as an attempt from Valerie Merians, the publisher’s founder attempted to publish Poetry After 9/11, a collection of works by poets and authors post 9/11.The company has been churning out fiction, non-fiction, and poetry books ever since.

Taxi is a collection of very short stories( each one two or three pages) about taxi drivers in Cairo. Each chapter follows a different taxi driver, and his clients as they drive around different parts of Cairo. We get a glimpse into every day events of both the people of Cairo, and the Egyptian culture. From the upper class, to woman, to the working class each chapter offers insight and commentary on Cairo,both its history and its people.

Aflame books publishes book from around the world.

From Aflame Books:

AFLAME BOOKS has a mission: to provide you with the finest English translations of literature from across the world hitherto hidden by barriers of culture and language.

Since 2005, we have been publishing fiction and poetry fired with the passion and originality that abounds in what was once called the “Third World” and is now more positively referred to as the Warm World.

Sadly, I think (correct if I am wrong), but I believe the company closed down. This website and this website were the only links I was able to find for it as well as their Facebook. Hopefully, I was just not able to find a working site, but if they are closed it’s still worth supporting them and their authors.

Hope you enjoy these recommendation. Have you read any Egyptian authors published by Small Indie Presses? Please let me know!

Happy Reading

]]>https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/3-egyptian-novels-published-by-small-presses-small-press-september/feed/4bibliosaWoman at PointZedQueuemelville-houseTaxiAflame BooksSmall Press Resourceshttps://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/02/small-press-resources/
https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/02/small-press-resources/#commentsFri, 02 Sep 2016 20:25:13 +0000http://bibliosa.wordpress.com/?p=1655]]>Happy September! Can you believe it’s fall already. Personally, I am happy to see the summer go. I love fall even though we don’t get much of one here in LA. September is also the official start to my month long challenge of reading books published by small/ independent publishers. Over the past few days, I’ve researched every nook and cranny of the bookternet to find fun books to add to my small press TBR for the month.Guys, there are soo many, and I kind of went crazy with the ordering…how many I’ll get to read, who knows since I also find myself in one of the busiest months of the year. When you’re busy, start a challenge. (Bibliosa’s brain logic)

As I mentioned before, I’ve been pretty busy researching small presses, and I thought I would share the wealth with those of you who are also interested in finding small indie presses. This list is by no means exhaustive- I will add to it as I find more-however, it’s a pretty good start.

As for my first read, it is Lament for the Afterlife by Lisa L. Hannett.

Lament for the Afterlife by Lisa L. Hannett

Book Summary:

THE GREYS ARE COMING AND THEY ARE ALREADY HERE. No one knows when the war against the greys began. Not precisely. There are theories, speculations. Everyone agrees, though, that airborne doombringers appear along with their invisible bombs—and disappear just as mysteriously. Governments, while they still can, launch investigations into the waves of energy sweeping from continent to continent, bringing human mutation and environmental destruction. They shepherd refugees from country to country. They do whatever they must to put an end to the fighting. Whispers have circulated for centuries: Where are the greys? When will they next strike? How many men remain true and how many are turncoats? How can you attack something you can’t see? And secretly, fearfully: Are the greys even real?

ChiZine Publications is willing to take risks. We’re looking for the unusual, the interesting, the thought-provoking. We look for writers who are also willing to take risks, who want to take dark genre fiction to a new place, who want to show readers something they haven’t seen before. CZP wants to startle, to astound, to share the bliss of good writing with our readership.

I am about 40 pages into Lament for the Afterlife, and it is indeed quite odd in the best way possible. I’ve been craving a good sci-fi/fantasy, and hopefully this scratches that itch. It’s a Labor Day weekend here in the States which means a long weekend of bookish delights, after I finish my mountain load of work, that is. I can’t wait to sip some wine and sink into this one.

I am starting my first ever challenge! In honor of the incredible work that small indie presses are doing, I am going to primarily focus on reading books published by small indie presses this September. I’m calling it Small Press September. I was inspired by two things:

First, I came across this article, “American Publishing Needs Indie Presses” by Nathan Scott McNamara. As a a life long lover of books, I find the publishing industry fascinating. I closely follow noteworthy releases, innovative debuts,trends and discussions. I’m subscribed to tons of bookish podcast, and I spend an ungodly amount of time researching and finding new reads. Naturally I’ve heard the words “small press” “indie/publishers” thrown around, but I never truly understood what they were exactly. McNamara’s article details the contrast between the big five publishing houses versus the smaller indie presses. How the big five’s dominance over the industry is oddly making room for smaller presses who focus on innovation, “…American indie presses can thrive by doing the very thing they’re best at: being small and, by extension, focusing on creativity and originality over sales.” I recommend reading his piece. It’s not only interesting, but very informative.

What is a small indie press?

Small or independent publishers are publishers that do not belong to major corporations. Each one varies in size and funds, as well as in production. Some presses publish anywhere between 1-10 or more books a year. Many presses are specialized to a genre, but not always. Note: This is not the same as self-publishing.

For many years I have given thought to 1)What I read, 2)What I need to read more of, and 3) What is or isn’t being represented. However, I have never given it much thought to learn about where my books come from. I don’t mean that literally, I obviously know where I acquire my books (stores, library, online distributors) I also know the author, and thanks to movements like Women In Translation Month, I now pay attention to translators. What I don’t know is the publishers. I recognize the big names,the small logos on the spine. I can name the big five, but that is mostly because they’ve been a part of my bookish life for as long as books, and not because I took the time to learn about the publishers, the editors, and the team behind the final product that I enjoy. This year thanks to The Podcast by BookRiot. My obsession interest in the industry has increased. As has my interest in discovering creative and innovative work by boundary pushing authors, which would inevitably lead me down the rabbit hole that is small indie presses.

My second inspiration is Women In Translation month. Some of the most exciting and innovative reads I’ve come across in this year’s Women In Translation Month were from small indie presses. Combine that with awesome small indie titles I’ve read this year, I knew it was time I seriously did some digging into small presses. I, for many years read solely big named titles, by big best sellers produced primarily by big named houses. Simply because I didn’t know other books were out there, or how to find them. I read whatever my local bookstore and library carried. The internet has made the book world so much smaller, and as a result, I’ve become much more of an active reader, seeking out books that are out of my comfort zone.

It was’t until I hit my twenties that I seriously started to take a look at what I read and how I was reflected in it. The sad truth was, I wasn’t always there. Discussions about diversity and representation have played a role in my active search to find authors, stories, and characters that not only looked and represented me, but also those that didn’t. Small presses have the unique advantage that they can produce what fits with their mission and focus on voices that have been marginalized and pushed aside. Those are the presses I’ve flocked to, and continue to seek out. In honor of these small indie presses, this Septemebr I will focus on finding, highlihginting, and reading books produced by small indie publishers as well as the publishers themselves. Keep in mind I am a noob, so I have tons to learn, and true nerd that I am, I am so exited! I am not here to say small indies good, big houses bad, I merely want to diversify my reading, and discover what small indie presses have to offer.

If you feel like joining me, feel free.I will be using the #smallpressseptemebr hashtags across various social media sites. If you have any recommendations, please please send them my way. Thanks!

Edit: New banner created because in my excitement, I totally left squiggly lines in. *facepalm #human

It’s August which means it’s women in translation month, and can I just say how happy I am that this exist. I am a little late to the party as usual, but in my defense, I’ve had a busy summer.

For those of you who don’t know, Women in Translation Month was created by Meytal Radzinski over at Biblibio. She has tons of recommendation and statistics over at her site which highlight why it’s so important to promote and push for women’s work to be translated.Books are a beautiful gateway into experiencing other cultures, traditions, and experiences. Likewise, they are also a great way of demonstrating that oceans and continents may separate us, but we are so much more alike then we think. As a travel junkie, the only thing that keeps me going between the long months between trips, are books. Whenever I find myself in that beautiful but restless wanderlust feeling, I pick up a book from the place I’m craving, and the lust subsides.

Over the past years, I’ve made it a mission to seek out women authors and women’s works in translation. It hasn’t at all been a chore, I love reading women’s work, and discovering that whether it’s Japan, Brazil, or Italy, we are not as different as the world would have us believe. My foray into these works has exposed me to ideas and experiences that I would have never had if these works had not been translated. We need more books to bridge the gap, to tell our experiences, and show the world women’s capacity for storytelling. While we’re on the subject, can someone please hurry and up and translate the rest of Yoko Ogawa’s work in English. Please. I’m begging.

This year has been a great year for reading Women in Translation, and I hope it continues to be so.

Here are two Latin American Women whose work you should really pick up!

Riverbed Memory by Daisy Zamora Translated by Barbara Paschke

Not only is this a Nicaraguan women’s work in translation, but poetry which is a another marginalized group in literature. Needless to say, I felt like I found the holy grail. My origins are Nicaraguan, and I’m constantly disappointed by the lack of representation I’ve found for Central American authors in general. I dived into Daisy Zamora’s work, and savored her accounts of the war my parents lived through. While many of the poems in this collection depict the Nicaraguan civil war and the brutal after math, a large portion of the collection is dedicated to women, to out bodies, our love, and our courage. Her poetry weaves a story of girlhood, adulthood, and the lives of normal people facing the unimaginable.

Celebration of the Body

I love this body of mine that has lived a life,
its amphora contour soft as water,
my hair gushing out of my skull,
my face a glass goblet on its delicate stem
rising with grace from shoulders and collarbone.

I love the lunar curve of my hips
shaped by various pregnancies,
the great curling wave of my buttocks,
my legs and feet, on which the temple stands.

I love my bunch of dark petals and secret fur
keeper of heaven’s mysterious gate,
to the damp hollow from which blood flows
and the water of life.

This body of mine that can hurt and get ill,
that oozes, coughs, sweats,
secretes humours, faeces, saliva,
grows tired, old and worn out.

Living body, one solid link to secure
the unending chain of bodies.
I love this body made of pure earth,
seed, root, sap, flower and fruit.

The Body Where I was Born By Guadalupe Nettel Translated by J.T. Lichtenstein

I’ve already raved about this book in a previous post, but a little more raving never hurt. This short but insightful novel follows the life of a women who is now an an author and a mother. She recounts her odd childhood growing up in Mexico City with her extremely liberal parents, and then moving to France and experiencing another culture and customs. The novel follows her youth and her complicated relationship with her mother, her introduction to drugs and sex, and her triumph over her own demons. I loved this little book, and cannot recommend it highly enough.

My TBR for the month:

Couple Mechanics by Nelly Alard

The Invisible Garden by Dolores Redondo

Revenge: A Fable by Tasalima Nasrin

Everything by Elena Ferrante

The Bridge of Beyond by Simone Schwarz-Bart

And Anything else I can get my hands on!

What are you reading for WITmonth? Please give me some recommendations!

Thanks for reading

]]>https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/women-in-translation-reads-witmonth/feed/9bibliosaWITDaisyBodyI’m back and Best of July!https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/08/12/im-back-and-best-of-july/
https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/08/12/im-back-and-best-of-july/#commentsFri, 12 Aug 2016 18:58:48 +0000http://bibliosa.wordpress.com/?p=1600]]>I’m back! Hope you have all been well. The heat was not my friend, but I didn’t let that stop me. I had a blast. If you’re new here, or just don’t remember me, or where I went. I went to Italy a few weeks back. I came home to a lot of changes, finishing up my summer classes,( I aced both ) and a stubborn cold.

A teaser of my Italy recap post:

Stay tuned for that post. Suffice to say, Italy is great country so much history, friendly people, and delicious food. Also, very bookish.

As you can imagine, I packed my suitcase with books, and managed to only finish one, but man was it a good on!

The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante

Elena Ferrante can write. Angry, happy, confused, or sad, she captures human emotion to the letter. Her characters are authentic, and chances are you can always find yourself in them. The Days of Abandonment follows Olga in the days after her husband decides to leave her. Olga is distraught, angry, and sad. The beginning of her story depicts her trying to be strong as she attempts to hold it together for herself, and her two children. She wants to find the reason why her husband left, and if there is anything she can do to bring him back to her. When she discovers he’s taken up with a younger girl, she loses it, and throws decorum out of the window.

“I don’t give a shit about prissiness. You wounded me, you are destroying me, and I’m supposed to speak like a good, well-brought-up wife? Fuck you! What words am I supposed to use for what you’ve done to me, for what you’re doing to me? What words should I use for what you’re doing with that woman! Let’s talk about it! Do you lick her cunt? Do you stick it in her ass? Do you do all the things you never did with me? Tell me! Because I see you! With these eyes I see everything you do together, I see it a hundred thousand times, I see it night and day, eyes open and eyes closed!”

Yes, girl! Even though I have never been in Olga’s shoes, I felt such fulfillment in her anger, and so glad that Ferrante didn’t hold back on it. Olga spends the rest of the novel piecing herself back together, and relearning how to be her own woman again. The book has its quirky moments that added a little lightness to this otherwise bleak story. This is a small book, but it packs a big punch. If you want an intimate look at a woman’s journey back to herself, I highly suggest picking this one up.

I’m getting old because it took much longer than I care to admit to recover from this trip. Between catching up on sleep and work, I haven’t been all that productive in little else besides watching TV shows. I have a few weeks of relaxation before I start my fall semester, so I am enjoying my lazy time as much as possible.

]]>https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/08/12/im-back-and-best-of-july/feed/6bibliosaIMG_2298IMG_2290ElenaBest of Junehttps://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/07/04/best-of-june/
https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/07/04/best-of-june/#commentsMon, 04 Jul 2016 17:16:53 +0000http://bibliosa.wordpress.com/?p=1590]]>What happened to June? I know I was super busy, but it’s crazy how busy this month flew by. Between a hectic work schedule, prepping for my upcoming trip(3 days away!), and taking two summer classes, it’s a miracle I managed to read anything at all. June was a great reading month. While going over my list I found it hard to narrow it down to three. I love having that problem.

The first book I want to talk about is also my favorite of the month, and one of my favorites of the year.

“Time was the only variable in every equation of power and oppression-how long before the pot boiled over.”

Part murder mystery.Part historical fiction All beautiful prose. Vegas is known for its wackiness, we all know that, which is why it’s the perfect backdrop to for a story that features conjoined twins, sideshow acts,shady government activities, and unsolved murder cases. Plus, the writing is absolutely spell-binding.

L.A. has a short fucking memory. It never learns nothing. And that’s what’s gonna kill this city. Watch. There’ll be another race riot in 2022. Or Before.

If you’ve ever been interested in the real bare faced Los Angeles, pick this one up. It takes place over a series of six days following the Rodney King trial, and the subsequent L.A. riots. Trigger warnings for violence.

“Under the influence of the written word my mind loosens, wanders, sinks deep into unknown places, places I can’t control or even fathom, leaving so little of me at the surface that I don’t even notice what I’m doing here.”

What a unique story. Natalie, has pica, a condition that makes her want to eat everything, and eat everything she does. She is particularly drawn to books, however, and the description of her disorder is so comprehensive and beautifully written. This is a also a mystery as Natalie attempts to uncover the irregularities in her mother’s recent death, and the truth about her mother’s gypsy origins.

What were some of the best books you read this month?

P.S. I’m currently wrapping school assignments before I head off to La Bella Italia, so I won’t be around much, (more than usual, I mean). Happy 4th to my fellow Americans, and happy Monday to everyone else.

Happy Reading

]]>https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/07/04/best-of-june/feed/4bibliosaHistoryAllThe Long FIre3 on: Summer Readshttps://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/06/27/3-on-summer-reads/
https://bibliosa.wordpress.com/2016/06/27/3-on-summer-reads/#commentsMon, 27 Jun 2016 18:16:46 +0000http://bibliosa.wordpress.com/?p=1555]]>Last week marked the official start of summer in my part of the world. I drove down the Pacific Coast weekend highway this past weekend and aside from the traffic, the coastline gorgeous and the beaches full. I am not a huge fan of Summer, but Summer to me always means travel. Even when I wasn’t physically going somewhere, I indulged myself immensely with that armchair traveling. To mark the start of Summer 2016 I wanted to share three books that encompass summer, travel, adventure, change, and just everything that to me embodies summer.

Since I started this Blog, I feel like I have mentioned this book every summer, and here’s to another one. This book will never lose it’s charm for me. It’s the summer I know I will have some day. The book follows Bria who has recently graduated high school. She’s an artist who has lost her passion after a passing up an opportunity of a lifetime, and a subsequent breakup. She decides to do something out of the ordinary and books a guided tour to Guatemala. Not the typical place an eighteen year old goes alone, but she decides to just go for it. Along the way she meets a brother sister traveling backpacking duo who convince her to ditch the intinerary and fancy hotels, for a backpack and hostels. Bria finds herself drinking coke from a plastic bag with a straw, riding buses alongside chickens, and taking showers with buckets of ice cold water. I am very familiar with Central America, and this books brought out all kinds of nostalgia in me. I enjoyed reading this perspective of life in Central American, and the respect Bria grows to have for its people and culture. My all time favorite travel book. Central America is beautiful region of the world, and I think Kirsten Hubbard did a fantastic job in representing it.

Me, You takes you back to that summer of self-discovery and change. For me, it was the summer before high school when I spent two months in Nicaragua living with my mom’s family. It was the summer that forever changed me, and the way I look at the world. Me, You evoked that sense of nostalgia for that in between phase when you’re still a child, but growing into the adult you’ll become. The book takes place on an island off the coast of Naples. The characters are still reeling from the aftermath of World War II, and as a result, relationships are tense. Our young nameless narrator visits the island for the summer and he befriends a local fisherman, Nicola. Nicola regals him with tales from the war, which to many Italians, is a subject of taboo. Our narrator also falls in love for the first time with young Jewish survivor battling her memories and demons. Me, You is lovely quite novel that reads so fluidly. It’s filled with lush imagery and unexpected turns. I wanted to visit this small island, and lounge around the beaches and listen to Nicola’s stories with a glass of wine.

I love Melina Marchetti and this is my favorite of her books. It has lovable characters that I seriously wanted to be friends with, humor, and so much more. The writing is beautiful as is the characterization. Taylor lives in a boarding school in a town where every summer, the townies, the cadets, and the boarders fight for dominion over the forest and town. The novel takes place in Australia and gives a fascinating look at Australian small town culture. This book is complicated to explain, and explaining will only take away some of its charm. I will say, however, that on the surface, it sounds like a fun witty YA novel, and it is that, but it also delves into dark and disturbing places. Marchettta writes believable young characters with a grace that left me wanting more. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed my time with this book, and how I craved more when it was over. Trust me with this one, less is more.